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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Waffles Wednesday: My First Harness

Um, hi everybuddy. Waffles here.

Check out my new harness! Glogirly got it for me to see if I might want to eventually go on some outings and meet people.

It just arrived yesterday, so it's all still really new to me. It wasn't very fun to put on, but once she got it all adjusted and buckled I forgot all about it and started chasing my wand toy around. She said she wanted me to associate something fun with my harness. And you KNOW how much I LOVE my wand toy! The don't call me Air Waffles for nothing!

When my friend Odin from Cat Wisdom 101 found out I had a new harness, he got in touch right away. He's a very experienced harness kitty and thought it would be helpful to share some of his special tips and tricks, on account of I'm a beginner and all.

Odin's top 10 recommendations for harness newbies:

Make sure you're microchipped. Actually, even if you never go outside you should STILL be microchipped. Stuff happens when you least expect it. Both me and the Boss are microchipped. I think Glogirly should get microchipped too.

Start with the harness indoors. Get comfortable. Glogirly played with me and talked to me really nice. That made my harness more comfy.

Add the leash indoors first. Your human can pick up the leash, but they shouldn't pull or tug. They should follow YOU around. They can use something like a Neko Fly or other wand toy to encourage you to walk around.

Once you go outside, stay very close to home. Don't go near anything noisy like busy streets. Since we live in the city, Glogirly says she's going to look into taking me in the car to a very quiet park nearby.

Have your human use a verbal cue like "outside" or "walkies."

They should reward all wanted behavior and ignore the rest.

Consistency is super important. You should train at the same time everyday if possible. Before mealtime is best so you'll associate your training with your noms.

Commitment is super important too. It won't be long before you'll look forward to your outdoor sessions. Don't let your human be a slacker.

Have fun!

In addition, Odin said this is a great time to practice basic training commands like Come, Sit & Stay. Glogirly says my learning curve is steep here. I don't know what that means, but I DO know that treats are involved so I'm ALL-IN.

She said we're going to do a separate post about my Come, Sit and Stay training. And treats.

Since we are SO not the experts here, it's awfully nice to have smart friends that can help.

Cat Wisdom 101 is also a finalist for The Petties. They're in the Best Cat Blog category.

AND, since you're probably heading over to vote... just sayin' !

Now for your daily Petties reminder...

Vote for GLOGIRLY & Support Minnesota's Feline Rescue, Inc.

We need your votes to help win $1000 for some very special shelter kitties. Just a few miles from the Townhouse sits a small rescue shelter called Feline Rescue, Inc of St. Paul, Minnesota. Feline Rescue is a no-kill, all-volunteer cat rescue organization with shelter, foster and outreach programs. They provide safe shelter, veterinary care and socialization for stray, abandoned or abused cats until permanent homes can be found.

Feline Rescue is one of the little guys making a big difference in the lives of homeless kitties. And nothing would make us happier than being able to award them such a generous donation.

Please take a moment to vote GLOGIRLY for Funniest Blog. And while you're at it, we've got a number of friends and fellow bloggers that are finalists in other categories. Each of them has selected an equally deserving shelter for their donations, should they win.

So, Vote, Vote & Vote some more. Once daily thru July 31. Thank you so very much. We heart you big time.

38 comments:

Even with all these tips, I don't think I would do well with a harness - and I am so small that I could easily squirm out of just about any type! My human says she will give me a pass... but the next cat to come through these doors won't be so lucky! I have NO idea what that last part means, but I hope it is not anytime soon!

Wow, you organized my scribbled notes in a way that bodes success for leash walking and world domination. You know you have our vote! Thanks for the shout out and Odin will be happy to be your coach :-)

Aw, you look cute in your little harness! Star has a figure eight harness, but she refuses to stand when it's on. We'd have to take her for a drag, not a walk.. Looks like you do better with yours!Oh, and we just saw your Air Waffles video, it was AWESOME!

nice harness!!! we hope you have fun with the outside thing. mom says she wishes she had started with Mo but now says something about sailing ships. But she has walked cats at Best Friends and our foster kitten Triscuit wore hers at Blog Paws.

that is one COOL looking harness!!I used to take Bobo out on walks and believe it or not I used a CHAIN dog leash (a strong one), and a leather dog collar! I was too paranoid that he would break out of anything "cat" related.The only thing I don't like about taking a cat outdoors (unless you live in a rural area like Layla), is that they often become obsessed with the door leading to the outdoor world and are more likely to make a break for it, whereas strictly indoor cats that have had nothing to do with the outdoors are less likely to do that.

Hi Waffles. You look so handsome in your harness. Mama tried with us, but nobody wanted to use it. Note to Katie: The harness could help Waffles behave and learn better manners! Purrs, Ateret, Livia and Abbi

We suggest a name tag as well with your phone number and address. We all have name tags and wear them at all times. We have had problems in our area with animal control not bothering to check for microchips. And should you be lost close to home, the person finding you could just call Glogirly or Gloman or bring you back home. Good luck with your training. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo